A mobile app feature that helps automate the claim process for car insurance users and adjusters alike.
A mobile app feature that helps automate the claim process for car insurance users and adjusters alike.
Background
Lemonade, a digital insurance company known for its user-friendly approach, sought to streamline the car claim filing process while maintaining their mobile-first experience. The Photo Collection feature was designed to simplify and expedite the process by guiding users to capture essential photos of their vehicle and odometer from specific angles. These photos are crucial for accurate documentation and assessment of the damages. This intuitive feature, powered by a chatbot interface, guides users through capturing vital visual evidence when filing a car insurance claim. This process ensures that users can efficiently submit comprehensive and accurate information directly through the Lemonade app.
The goal
Align with Lemonade’s product values of supplying immediate service at scale and always exceeding expectations. By automating the photo collection part of the process, we aimed to enhance claim handling efficiency and improves customer NPS.
The main KPI was shrinking claim handling time to ~1 day (from an average of 5.6 days).
40% of Lemonade’s car claims are filed at the scene, using the mobile app and its designated claim chat flow, powered by a chatbot. Users are guided through a series of questions to gather important details about the accident.
When filing a claim, users are asked to upload photos of their car and its damages in order for it to be appraised. These photos tend to be closeups and fail to provide a full picture of the vehicle at its current condition (and what it’ll cost to repair).
Only 15% of submitted claims included photos that were sufficient for a complete appraisal, resulting in longer handling times and seeing adjusters reaching out to users manually (via emails and calls) to provide the required photos.
By introducing a flow that automates the photo collection process, we set out reduce claims handling expenses (by shrinking avg. appraisal time), increase customer satisfaction and build the foundation for instant claims.
40% of Lemonade’s car claims are filed at the scene, using the mobile app and its designated claim chat flow, powered by a chatbot. Users are guided through a series of questions to gather important details about the accident.
When filing a claim, users are asked to upload photos of their car and its damages in order for it to be appraised. These photos tend to be closeups and fail to provide a full picture of the vehicle at its current condition (and what it’ll cost to repair).
Only 15% of submitted claims included photos that were sufficient for a complete appraisal, resulting in longer handling times and seeing adjusters reaching out to users manually (via emails and calls) to provide the required photos.
By introducing a flow that automates the photo collection process, we set out reduce claims handling expenses (by shrinking avg. appraisal time), increase customer satisfaction and build the foundation for instant claims.
Design concept & Implementation
During the design process, I approached it from a user-centric perspective; By experimenting with real-life scenarios where set out to capture these highly specific photos of my actual car, in the actual street, several conclusions emerged. The next sections detail the key considerations and resolutions that shaped the design of the feature.
To ensure car photos meet the requirements for appraisal, the following guidelines were established:
Exterior car photos should capture the entire vehicle within the frame and ideally be taken during daylight hours for optimal lighting.
For the odometer photo, the engine should be turned on to ensure the mileage is visible.
Within the app’s chat-based claim filing process, the Photo Collection feature was strategically positioned as a step of its own, following the initial information gathering phase and the damage photos step. While the damage photos captured the specific areas impacted by the incident, the Photo Collection step was dedicated to gathering comprehensive visual documentation, and it was important to separate the two and help users focus on one step at a time. By incorporating this feature within the claim flow, we ensured that appraisers received all the necessary information to assess the claim efficiently and accurately.
To prioritize user comfort and minimize the time required to complete the photo collection flow, I focused on providing clear and concise instructions while keeping the overall process efficient. Recognizing that users might be in uncomfortable situations due to accidents or other factors, I aimed to strike a balance between instructiveness and speed. The goal was to guide users through capturing technical photos that appraisers needed, without burdening them with excessive time commitments for each picture.
To prioritize user comfort and minimize the time required to complete the photo collection flow, I focused on providing clear and concise instructions while keeping the overall process efficient. Recognizing that users might be in uncomfortable situations due to accidents or other factors, I aimed to strike a balance between instructiveness and speed. The goal was to guide users through capturing technical photos that appraisers needed, without burdening them with excessive time commitments for each picture.
One of the major challenges was integrating clear visuals and minimal copy while maintaining the distinctive tone of Lemonade’s brand and illustration style. The goal was to combine text instructions with illustrations that were not only realistic but also aligned with Lemonade’s illustrative aesthetic. The process involved experimentation, starting with actual car photos and gradually transitioning to a hybrid approach blending 3D renders with Lemonade’s stroke-style illustrations.
During the process of capturing actual car photos on real streets, it became evident that users may need the option to take photos in landscape mode. This realization stemmed from the requirement to capture the entire car within the frame, that can be challenging in portrait mode and will surely require users to step further back – which can be problematic if their car was parked in challenging positions. To address this need, incorporating landscape mode into the app’s camera was envisioned as a future enhancement for the Photo Collection feature.
In addition to addressing immediate user needs, the inclusion of landscape mode presents opportunities for cross-product utilization. By incorporating landscape mode into the camera, it establishes a scalable solution that can be extended to other flows that require picture-taking, and enhance flexibility across various camera use cases.
During the process of capturing actual car photos on real streets, it became evident that users may need the option to take photos in landscape mode. This realization stemmed from the requirement to capture the entire car within the frame, that can be challenging in portrait mode and will surely require users to step further back – which can be problematic if their car was parked in challenging positions. To address this need, incorporating landscape mode into the app’s camera was envisioned as a future enhancement for the Photo Collection feature.
In addition to addressing immediate user needs, the inclusion of landscape mode presents opportunities for cross-product utilization. By incorporating landscape mode into the camera, it establishes a scalable solution that can be extended to other flows that require picture-taking, and enhance flexibility across various camera use cases.